Escape
by CompleteExist
Summary: When one gets caught into a troubling situation they ask themselves, "How did I end up here?" But when one is caught in the same situation they start to ask themselves, "How do I get out?"
1. Scars

**This story contains material that may be hard for some people to cope with so if you are easily upset by physical, emotional, and mental abuse then this story isn't for you. This is rated M for mature content. M for violence, suicidal thoughts and lemons. But it will not contain rape.**

 **Again if these contents are too much for you to handle then don't read this story. This story is based off of my own life experiences all the physical abuse that is mentioned in this story I have experienced. This story is more so a therapy session for me. I still haven't dealt with my past and I think writing it out will help me.**

" _It has been said, 'time heals all wounds.' I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens. But it is never gone."_

 _― Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy_

When one gets caught into a troubling situation they ask themselves, " _How did I end up here_?" But when one is caught in the same situation they start to ask themselves, " _How do I get out?"_

Relationships in movies tell you about love, compassion, soul mates. Love that has no bounds, love that sees through the toughest situations. Movies don't tell you that some relationships aren't not like that.

Relationships that are drowning in despair, drowning in its own failure. Relationships that have blistering consequences on ones soul and mind.

An arranged marriage can work she had seen them work but an arranged marriage and a forced one are two different things. She had begged and pleaded soon she relented. Telling herself that it was for the best of clan. The Hokage himself even encouraged the marriage saying that it would be best for the village. That it would help to have a powerful clan from the village marry another person from a powerful clan from another village.

The Hyuga compound was almost completely destroyed by the war, many members sacrificing their lives for this village. She saw it fit to sacrifice herself for the clan, for the village. If it meant that her clan could rebuild than she would do it. If it meant that the village would be a little safer she would do it.

He was a wealthy man from Kumogakure. Handsome dark brown hair with hazel eyes, slightly tanned skin and a disarming smile. She felt at ease when she saw that he brought her flowers. White tulips. They talked for an hour he was lovely and kind.

The wedding was set for autumn. All of her friends came well not _all_ but she didn't dwell on it fearing she would tear up on her wedding day.

It was a lavish wedding the Hyugas wanted nothing less even if they were close to dirt poor appearance still meant everything.

The first few months of their matrimony was calm and delightful. He would talk sweet nothingness into her ear, he would love her at night, would take her out for walks.

And then things changed he came home drunk his breathe hot, the smell of alcohol was so over powering so nauseating. The first slap came fast and hard.

The first slap you'll ever experience will leave you shocked. You may not even really remember the feeling of that first slap you will just remember the entail shock. The second slap you will remember the feeling the stinging burning feeling if the slap was hard enough it may have broken the skin. But surprisingly after multiple slaps you stop feeling it the pain will be fleeing stinging for almost a second before disappearing as though it was never there in the first place.

He had apologized in the morning after he had a night to sleep it off. He begged for her to forgive him. It was a mistake he said a drunken mistake.

She contemplated on telling her father, but they had only been married for a year. How would that look upon her and her family? Only married for one year and already wanting a divorce.

She forgave him a mistake she would never forgive herself for.

They went back to the way it was but soon it became apparent the monster she had married.

The gambling, the infidelity, the drinking.

She confronted him on the first infidelity he made sure that she would never confront him again. He dragged her by her hair and locked her into a room only allowing the servants to bring her bread and letting her shower every so often. A week went by and he came in the room.

Stroked her hair and told her that she mustn't ever question him. What if the servants heard her question him? What if word got out that she a woman was questioning him a man?

She must learn her place and he would make sure she would learn where that was.

She realized that even asking simple questions would anger him. If he wanted his clothes hung in a certain way and she asked why a slap would come quick and hard.

He would break her. She would learn that his word was final.

She seemed to walk on egg shells. On thin ice and the ice would always break. Not having food on the table when he got home would get her a tongue lashing.

" _Why are so you incompetent? When I come home I want a hot meal on the table ready understood?"_

The second year of marriage consisted of him admonishing her and slapping her.

Sex... had become uncomfortable. Not wanting to say anything to anger him even more she just followed his lead silently letting tears fall down her face thanking the night for covering her tear stricken face.

Once he was done. She would sob letting all her rage out. Letting the chocking sobs consume her.

The third year of marriage proved to be the beginning of what would break her. What would change her soul.

Soon she didn't have to do anything to upset him. Her mere presence upset him, if she looked at him in a way he deemed disrespectful he would smash his foot in her face drag her to that awful room and lock her in there.

He cut her off from her family. How many weddings had she missed? How many people came to visit her? Soon he would not even allow her father to visit. She remembered hearing her father demand to see her. Her heart leapt she was going to be free she would run into her fathers arms and he would whisk her away to the safety her village, but alas it was all a dream.

Her husband told her father that he had no right over her that he would not be allowed to see her ever again. She would only visit when he allowed her to visit and that this would be her fathers last visit unannounced. All visits from here on must be approved by him.

How many birthdays had she missed? She missed her sister Hanabi, she missed her teammates Kiba and Shino. She missed Kurenai and she missed... no.. she couldn't miss _him_ she wouldn't allow herself to miss _him_.

She hadn't seen Neji's grave since she got married. She hoped someone was sending him white lilies.

Yes the third year of marriage was hard but it was the fourth that was unbearable.

Kicks, slaps, pushes that sent her head banging on the floor, hair pulling that left her scalp sore.

She had become accustomed to the floor. He would push her on the hard wooden floors stomping on her face and she would escape by focusing her eyes on a particular spot on the floor. Holes were scattered on the walls from being pushed into them. Glass broken by him throwing things at windows. Why must he throw things? That only caused more mess.

She also come very accustomed to the room that he would lock her up in. The longest she had been locked in there was two months and two and half weeks. They were best time of her life she didn't have to see him. Didn't have to hear him. It was tranquility for her. She would daydream of being in the Hyuga gardens. With the smell of flowers tickling her nose.

But soon he let her out. Oh how she wished he would just lock her away and let her rot there to die. Why must she suffer more?

Soon the fifth year of marriage came. This time she expected him to kill her. There was nothing left. But she was saved.

Her father had come back. Come back to get her out of this reoccurring nightmare. He had come with ANBU and Hyuga guards informing her husband that the marriage was now over.

They had found Hinata in her small room. Cowering in the corner squinting her eyes at the intruding light.

"Oto-San?" She squeaked

His heart wrenched seeing his daughter in such a state. The room smelled of rotting food and urine. She looked unclean and malnourished. He cursed himself.

"Hinata." He slowly approached. Reaching his hand out to his daughter. For her only to cower into the corner further. He felt tears pierce his gray eyes. He swallowed and steeled himself.

"Come Hinata. We're going home."

"H-home?" This was a dream she was dreaming but it was real. Slowly she reached for his hand and she gasped it was real he father was here.

"Oto-San!" She leaped into his arms. Tears soaking his clothing.

They walked out of the room and there she saw him. The demon that had trapped her for 5 years.

"Hinata don't you dare walk out of this house!" His voice roared. His command must be followed

Her body stiffened, her father rubbed her arm coaxing her to not pay attention to him and keep walking.

He tried to lunge at her but the Hyuga guards pushed him back a satisfying thump told her he hit his head on the floor that was more accustomed to her howls of pain than his.

Her father demanded they stop at the nearest hotel for her to clean up. Her face reddened she must smell like an open sewage system.

Soon she was clean and dressed in one of her favorite yukata. A white colored yukata with purple flowers and vines climbing up the sides. She looked at herself in the mirror. A faint scar on her right cheek barely noticeable unless she pointed it out to someone. But it was glaring right at her.

He had been drink that time. She tried to run away from him which only enraged him more she finally reached her room and tried closing the door. He grabbed her by the hair scratching her face against the lock of the door. Blood dripped down her cheek finally she locked the door but soon he broke it down and when he finally got to her his foot connected to her face. Blood now dripping from her nose. Mingling with the blood from her cheek

She shook her head not wanting to remember she could feel tears run down her face. She looked herself in the mirror again. Her once full and thick hair was now dull and thin. Bags underneath her eyes told of unspoken horror.

Soon they left the hotel heading for home. Heading for the place she had dreamed of for so long.

Her village.

Her home.

They rode in carriage for that she was grateful. Her father not one for physical touch and emotion even allowed her to put her head on his shoulder and stroked her hair.

But the things that break you never leave you. The things that changed you will always haunt you. She would soon learn this.

They arrived in Konoha in three days. She inhaled the air. Air is different from place to place. In some villages it felt stiff and suffocating. But here in Konoha it felt freeing.

"We must see the Hokage first." Her father informed her

The Hokage. Last time she was here Kakashi was Hokage. Could _he_ now be Hokage?

She inhaled and tried to push that thought out of her head. Soon they arrived at the Hokage tower. Her father helped her up the stairs. Her body felt so weak she had lived on so little food for so long and she barely did anything in that house expect sit in that room.

She didn't realize how unused her muscles were.

Her father knocked and she heard a mumbled come in.

As they opened the door there in the Hokages chair he sat. His blonde hair and azure blue eyes. He smiled brightly but it soon turned into a look of concern she didn't need his concern not now. Not ever.

Was it her fault for giving into delusions? Her fault for playing fairytale in her mind? Those last few years that she suffered she somehow convinced herself that Naruto would swoop in and come and save her.

Was it her fault for being stupid and naive? Yes but she couldn't help but feel a little resentment. He didn't even come to the wedding. He never even said goodbye.

"Get a chair in here!" His voice was deeper.

Soon a chair was put in front of his desk. Slowly her father and Naruto helped her sit into the chair.

She could feel the painful seat dig into her tail bone. How much weight had she lost?

"Hiashi-sama if you please just give me and Hinata some privacy."

Her father hesitated but nodded and left them alone.

"Hinata?"

She realized that her eyes were trained to the floor. He never let her look at him. He told her it was disobedience to stare directly into his eyes.

Slowly she looked up at him. A sad smile graced his lips.

Don't you dare feel sorry now. Don't you dare smile like that. Hinata's heart lurched and tightened.

She wanted to scream at him all while hugging him.

"Hinata. Your father and I tried to get you out of there sooner. But we couldn't risk a war with Kumo. His family holds a great deal of power...But had I known it was this bad..." he trailed off balling his tanned hands into a fist.

She said nothing. What is there to say? She waited until he spoke again.

"No one knows that you're here yet. But soon everyone will know that you're divorced. They won't know anything else."

It was left unsaid. They won't know that she was abused, beaten, starved. They won't know the months spent in a dark room that had nothing but a bed and bucket to piss in.

She just smiled a smile that didn't reach her eyes and nodded at him.

A few moments of suffocating silence descended on the room.

"Hinata.. you have to sign this paper for the divorce to finalized."

His hand reached out a small pen in his grasps. Slowly she took the pen out of his hand and into her own.

Her hand shook as her eyes scanned the paper. Freedom in one stroke of a pen.

She may have been freed from him as soon as she signed that paper. But she would never be free from her memories.

"Hinata... I... I am so sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't there Hinata." His deep voice laced with regret.

She smiled that smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

Naruto didn't see the same shy, timid girl he once knew. He saw a starved, weakened woman in front of him. Her face was gaunt. Her body frail you would think she was 15 not 23.

Her father took her to the hospital. She had to be checked and evaluated. Once that was over they had to start the refeeding process.

After probing and prodding and instructing her to how she must re feed herself her father finally took her home.

She heard hush whispers as she made her way through the familiar halls. She wished to see her sweet sister but she never came out.

"Father.. where is Hanabi?"

"She's out on a mission she'll be back soon."

They arrived at her old room. It was exactly how she remembered it to be. White and lavender bedding. White walls with a closet that was filled with balms and oils that she had once made.

Her father pulled down the blanket and slowly helped her into bed. He tucked her in and kissed her on the forehead. She felt like she was five and it felt so comforting.

"Sleep now. Rest. I will let one of the maids make you something to eat and help you eat soon. Remember what the doctor said."

Hinata nodded she was not allowed anything heavy only soups for now and she had to eat slowly.

Soon Hinata feel asleep. In her warm bed. In the four walls that were safe. She could leave this room when she wanted to.

For now she was free.

But memories never disappear they never allow you to truly be free. They haunt you forever reminding you over your pain.

 **There are some things not really explained right now. Hinata's memories through out the story will fill in the blanks**

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	2. Emptiness

**Don't forget to review. Thank you**

 _A really strong woman accepts the war she went through and is ennobled by her scars. Carly Simon_

Isn't strange how the most painful or embarrassing memories come at you from no where? Have you ever just been thinking of absolutely nothing and you remember a moment that made you blush and shake your head in embarrassment? Perhaps the day that you laughed so hard that you peed on yourself in front of someone? Perhaps you remember a moment that you said something so embarrassing that you just wanted to crawl in a hole and die. Or when you remember something that leaves your soul scarred. Perhaps you suddenly remember the day that you lost a loved one? Or you are slapped suddenly by the memory of the time you were cheated on by your first love.

Yes how strange that these memories seem to come to you without much thought. How they seem to come at the most random moments. How you wish they would disappear and never reappear again.

~*~ Flashback

 _Hinata stood alone next to the table of finger foods and drinks. Nursing her own drink in her small pale hands. She hated parties likes these even before she was married when she still lived with the Hyugas._

 _Everyone was so uppity they all seemed to think they were better than each other. The men competed in hand shakes, women competed in which one had the most expensive dress. What did it matter? She watched as a group of women giggled with each other knowing every well they all hated each other. Each one married to someone important. She didn't bother remembering names it didn't matter much to her she didn't need or want friends._

 _She saw the small group of women heading towards her and groaned inwardly. She plastered a small soft smile on her face._

 _"Hinata! We're so glad you came."_

 _Hinata tried to rack her brain to find a name. Ah that's right it's Aiko a wife of damiyo. She was pretty dark black hair with piercing dark green eyes. She was dripping in jewelry. Her wrists were engulfed in white gold cuffs. Her slender neck adorned a beautiful emerald green necklace that had diamonds surrounds the emeralds. Dangling from her ears seemed to be the matching earring set of her necklace. A dark black shimmering dress hugged her curves it had a very deep plunge showing off the valley between her breasts. Her skin was neither tan nor pale. Stunning was a word to describe her._

 _"The pleasure is mine Aiko, this is a lovely party."_

 _The hostess's smile brightened, "It is isn't it?"_

 _Hinata restrained herself from rolling her eyes. Beautiful with an ego. That's why she hated these women there bodies and jewelry were distractions from the seemingly empty valley in their brains._

 _"We don't see you much Hinata." Said a blonde from the group._

 _Hinata nodded, "Yes well you know I'm so busy with house work and the works."_

 _The women nodded these were the women that you saw with high ponytails swinging back and forth when they took their children to school, these were the women who wore high heels after 5, these were the women who made breakfast, lunch and dinner that you would see in a high end restaurant, these were the women who loved to compete in who had the biggest and best parties, who's schedules were packed with after school events and party events. These were the women who felt that they were born and breed to be mothers and housewives nothing more nothing less._

 _"So Hinata when are you gonna give that hunk of a man a child! You've been married for 3 years now!" A woman with a high pitched squeaky voice asked._

 _Hinata stiffened it wasn't that she never got pregnant she had. But how could she explain that the pregnancies never got far into the second term. The first two pregnancies were miscarried early into the first trimester and the third died into the second trimester. Her husband was so enraged the third time. His face was so red. His body shook with anger. Fornsome reason he thought it was her fault and he made sure to take it out on her._

 _She did her best to watch what she ate and did. But it didn't seem to matter._

 _The women started to shift from one foot to another not liking the silence Hinata was giving off. Her far off stare and blank face made them realize that they had made her uncomfortable with the question._

 _Aiko jabbed the woman with a squeaky voice with her elbow and gave her a glare, "Ah well Hinata we're sorry to bother you. We'll see you around."_

 _Hinata just nodded not really caring to answer them back._

Hinata didn't really know why that memory came back to her. It's not like she was really dying for children. She was actually glad that she never had any with him she didn't want to bring a child into a home filled with abuse.

Her ex-husband though deemed her a failure for not being able to provide him with children. His abuse escalated with each miscarriage.

Hinata sighed and stuck her hand into the cool mud digging up the dead roots of her old garden. It was now barren and dead nothing but small twigs were flowers use to be.

It had been five months since her father came to get her. She had gained weight and felt much better and stronger physically. The doctor gave her the go ahead to do her old hobbies and to train to build up her muscles.

She decided to tackle her garden and than train. She pulled out the dead root and dug a bigger hole for a new jasmine flower. The smell from the flower calming.

"Hey nee-chan."

Hinata turned her head to the left to see her younger sister. She had grown up to be such a beauty. Her long chocolate brown hair was in a braided and had a small white bow at the end. She had on a lovely dark blue kimono.

Hinata gave her a small smile, "Hello, when did you get back from your mission?"

"Oh not long ago maybe an hour or two."

Hinata nodded. Her sister was a Jōnin now and she couldn't be more delighted and happy for her sister.

She patted the patch of grass next to her indicating her younger sister to sit next to her. As she turned back to putting the jasmine flower into the ground covering it with dirt.

"Sorry about your garden we should have taken better care of it."

Hinata shrugged it didn't really matter to her she was glad she could replant the garden all over again.

Hanabi squirmed she didn't like this new Hinata. This Hinata didn't talk much all her communication was verbal. A shrug here, a nod there and a small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Have you seen any of your old friends?"

Hinata stiffened a little. Yes Kiba and Shino had come to visit her a few times but the first visit perhaps was the most awkward.

~*~ Flashback

 _A knock woke Hinata up from her slumber, "Who is it."_

 _"It is me Hinata your father."_

 _Hinata told him to come in. She watched her father slowly come in to her room his old yet strong body making its way close to her bed._

 _"Your old teammates are here to see you. I don't think it's such a good for them to see you in your current... Situation." Hinata had to give it her father he always made things sound so professional._

 _"No it's fine. Tell them I will be out in a few minutes."_

 _As soon as her father left she got up her body was slowly recovering but she felt so tired and sleepy. Apparently that was a side effect of referring your body._

 _She took off her pajamas and settled for a simple black t-shirt and gray capris. Not really bothering with anything formal. She hadn't seen Kiba and Shino for years._

 _As she made small steps to the area where they kept the guests she slowly opened the sliding doors to see her old teammates._

 _A small smile formed on her lips. They had grown to be men. Shino still had on sunglasses but at least his face was visible and Kiba still had long hair and that awful goatee._

 _"Hinata!" Kiba quickly ran up to Hinata and gave her a bear hug. He had missed her so much. 5 years of not seeing his old teammate and one of his best friends had killed him._

 _He and Shino had tried to visit her but her husband had refused to allow them to even enter their house let alone see her._

 _He knew that guy was a douche the first day he saw him. He smelled like a snake and rat put together and his obvious unnatural possessiveness of Hinata was unnerving. Neither him or Shino thought the guy really cared for Hinata. It kinda felt like he was just keeping Hinata hostage not letting her see her friends or family for some reason or another._

 _Seeing her now so thin and fragile bad his stomach sink. She looked paler than usual her once long tinted blue hair was lack luster and brittle. Her eyes sunken and bag under them._

 _Hinata slowly made her way to sit in front of the two men. Make sure to slowly sit on the floor and put her legs under her._

 _"Hinata you look...ill."_

 _Kiba rolled his eyes, "Smooth Shino real smooth."_

 _Hinata gave them a small smile one that didn't reach her eyes or convey any feeling or thought._

 _"We heard about the divorce how do you feel?" Kiba asked. He was genuinely worried for her emotional state._

 _Hinata shrugged. She didn't have much to say on that note she didn't feel one way or the other. She didn't feel anything to be frank. She wondered if they knew the whole story. Probably not._

 _After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, well uncomfortable for the two men Hinata was quite fine with the silence she had long settled for verbal communication like nods and shrugs over words. It was safer that way. Better._

 _"We missed you." Kiba said in a small voice. He didn't like this Hinata. He missed the small shy bubbly one with a soft gentle voice. This one was unsettling._

 _Hinata smiled, "I missed you two as well."_

 _The descended into another period of silence until the two men decided to let her rest._

 _Before they left both gave her a hug and Hinata had to try her best to hold back the tears threatening to make their way out._

She wanted nothing more than to cry and let out all her feelings that day but she didn't. She wouldn't. She had long forgotten about getting this massive weight off her chest. What good would it do to give it to someone else this burden that felt like it was going to drown you in sorrow? Even the thought of someone holding this burden made her shudder. No. She would keep everything locked inside.

They had come to visit her a few more times and she had tried to be a bit more talkative. But in the end it was usually Kiba who filled the silence.

Kiba told her that Kurenai and her daughter were going to come and visit her which she didn't mind. Mirai had to be perhaps six now. She couldn't wait to see the small girl.

"Hinata?" Hanabi asked hesitantly

"Hmm." Hinata responded.

"Why don't you talk anymore? I mean you aren't... you aren't Hinata anymore."

She wasn't Hinata anymore. She was the shell of the former Hinata. The old Hinata had long died. Had long given up. How can one be bubbly and smile when they are faced with the reality of the world around them.

Hinata shrugged. Hanabi groaned, "That's not an answer Hinata!"

She watched as her younger sister stood abruptly. Her small delicate hands balled up into fists. Her eyes filled with unshed tears.

Hanabi looked down at her sister the sun beaming down her. She looked so beautiful her pale hands covered with dirt. Her cheeks slightly pink from the sun. Her long hair was now back to its previous luster and her curves were also back. But she... Hinata... the Hinata she knew her nee-chan wasn't back.

"I want Hinata back. I want the woman who use to light this place up. The woman who walked with shy but sure steps. The woman who smiled and smiled a real smile not this fake shit. I want my sister!"

Hinata looked at her sister. She was seventeen now the same age she was when the Fourth war happened. The same age she was when she got engaged and only a year younger than she was when she got married. Would Hanabi have stuck around with a monster for five years? Probably not.

"Answer me!"

She didn't have any words to answer her sister so she said the truth looking back at the now planted jasmine flower.

"That Hinata is dead and she isn't coming back Hanabi."

She watched her young sister wipe the tears that spilled down her face. Her body shaking as she walked away.

Hinata shut her eyes and took a deep breathe. She felt light headed. She needed to lie down.

Before she could even get her hand on the handle of the door she heard a maid call her. She groaned inwardly she wanted nothing more than to rest.

"Hinata-sama, I am sorry to bother you but the Hokage is here. He wishes to see you."

Naruto was here? She hadn't seen him since the day she got back.

"Where is he?"

"We put him in your fathers office per your fathers request."

Hinata nodded only the best for the Hokage. He wasn't some visitor like Kiba or Shino. She made her way to her fathers office. Knocking on the door. Until she heard a deep voice saying to come in.

Hinata entered into the room to see only Naruto but not her father. He had on his Hokage robes with a black and orange shirt peaking from the front. His hair was cut now. She liked it longer not that it really mattered what she liked. His eyes were sparkling blue.

Hinata bowed. It was only proper, "Hokage-sama it's a pleasure to have you in the Hyuga manor."

"Huh? Come on Hinata knock that off we're friends! Hokage-sama is way too formal for us." He gave her bright smile.

Hinata nodded, she watched as Naruto's tall muscular frame took small steps to examine the paintings on the wall. One was of mountains but the sky was dark like blood and the rain was black. It was to show despair in times of war and that picture was exactly how Hinata felt on the inside.

"I see you're doing better." Naruto commented taking in her overall improved appearance.

Hinata nodded.

"So I know you must be wondering why I'm here."

She was. "Hinata I have some... well I wouldn't call it bad news I would call it just a heads up really."

Hinata raised her eyebrows. A heads up about what exactly.

"You see we sent the divorce papers to your husband to sign them but he refuses and without his signature you are still legally married."

Hinata scoffed uncharacteristically. She wasn't surprised he wasn't about to let her go how without a fight.

"Don't worry we aren't going to let him get to you in anyway." She wasn't worried she would kill herself before going back to him.

"But the only problem is that if we seek an annulment on the grounds of physical abuse the word is bound to get out. We are gonna try to do everything we can to make that bastard sign those papers okay?"

Hinata nodded. This was gonna be a long road ahead and everyday she was legally married to him was another day in hell. She just wanted this to be over with.

"Do have any questions Hinata?" Naruto asked concerned with her lack of questions or emotions. Her face was blank. He wasn't getting any emotion from it.

Hinata blinked at her former crush and shook her head. Not really. There wasn't really anything to discuss.

Naruto sighed, "Hinata... maybe you should get some counseling. Get everything off your chest. It would be good for you."

Hinata blinked at him. He wasn't serious was he? "No thank you Hokage-sama."

"Hinata I'm worried about you. Your father is worried about you. Kiba and Shino are worried about you. They are all telling me that you barely talk and I can see they aren't without concern."

Hinata was bubbling with anger. Talk? Talk about what? What did they want to hear? The disgusting words he use to throw at her? Or hear about the endless stories of hitting and beatings.

"There is nothing to say." Hinata said her voice had a slight edge to it.

Naruto walked towards her. He towered over the small woman. "Hinata please... let us in."

Hinata stared into his eyes and with every single courage she could muster up she told him, "Leave."

"Hinata."

"Leave." Hinata said her voice slight louder. How dare he. Let them in? What did they want to see? She was nothing but a broken piece of glass daring to cut any one who dared to come in. She was broken and she didn't want fixing because if she was fixed she could be broken again.

No one was coming in and she would never come out. She would never let anyone in again. How dare he. He of all people! He never even answered her confession. He didn't even come to her wedding! He cared now but he wasn't there when she needed him. How dare her father care now as well. He practically gave her to that monster. How dare they all. How dare they think that a little talk would solve everything!

Nothing was going to fix this black hole in her heart and she didn't want it fixed. She loved not feeling anything. Her heart use to leap to see Naruto the one person that she use to love with every fiber of her heart now she didn't care if she saw him or didn't see him. She use to hate the elders and her father but now she didn't even care about them.

She didn't want to hate or feel anything. She wanted this. To feel nothing for everybody. Everybody was on the same par. She didn't love or hate anyone. Because no one not a single damn person was going to get close to her ever again.

Naruto sighed and nodded his head, "As you wish Hinata."

Naruto left her in the office walking back to the Hokage tower. He had mountains of paper work to get to but he knew they were going to stay undone today he decide to just head home.

Seeing one of his most precious people like this was killing him. When Kiba and Shino had told him Hinata was different he didn't exactly understand what they meant but now he got it. He wanted to go beat the shit out of that bastard who made Hinata like this, but he also felt guilty. He should have stopped that wedding fucking Hyugas! Fucking Kakashi. But he couldn't really blame them well the Hyugas he could but everyone seemed to vouche for that monster in the beginning. He came from a wealthy well known family but it seemed they had secrets that needed finding out.

As he approached his house he felt a familiar chakra. "Well finally, I requested you about a month ago."

"I was on a mission that you sent me on dobe. What's so important that you made me come back?" Coming out of the shadows of the trees was the Former avenger Sasuke Uchiha.

Naruto opened the door to his mansion. He didn't really like it. It was too big for him and reminded him if how alone he was. He dug throw the small pile of files on the table.

Finally finding the one he wanted he handed it to Sasuke. "Get me everything on this family especially that guy on page 2."

"You're kidding right? This is below me."

Naruto rolled his eyes, "I'm the Hokage do as I say without back talk."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. Well someone was touchy today. "Does this have something to do with that Hyuga girl?"

"How did you know about her?"

"Sakura told me that she was back and from the rumors going around in the hospital it doesn't sound like her marriage was peachy."

Naruto gritted his teeth and balled his fists. God he hated that disgusting pig who hurt Hinata. Every time he thought of that small fragile girl who walked into his office his heart clenched and his stomach lurched.

"Yes it's about her. I need that information like yesterday."

Sasuke nodded. "You got it."

He watched as Sasuke left. He was going to get Hinata out of this death sentence called a marriage if it was the last thing he did.

 **Alright some info this is set 5 years after the Fourth War. So Hinata and Naruto are 23 and Hanabi is 17. Now someone said they hoped Naruto wasn't single all this time. We'll get to Naruto in the next chapter don't worry**.


	3. Acquaintances not friends

**I want to thank HumaBeen, Splaaash** - _ **attack, Throne, and Fluffaddict001. Hope you guys like this chapter! Especially Fulffaddict001. See what a couple reviews can do to a writer?**_

 ** _For Information purposes when you see a~*~a that means it's cutting to another scene because for some reason I can't just put the squiggly line and star without a letter or word attached to it._**

 _Looking back, I have this to regret, that too often when I loved, I did not say so._

 _David Grayson_

 _a~*~a_

How many regrets do you have? Real regrets not fake ones. Have you ever missed the death of someone important for a selfish reason? Have you ever seen something horrible going on right in front of your eyes and not do anything? Those are real regrets.

Naruto had many regrets. Yes he became Hokage. Yes he got Sasuke back. He did many things but he would regret two important things. Never responding to Hinata's confession after the fight with Nagato. The second not stopping that wedding.

Both of his regrets included Hinata. She was precious to him and yet he never really showed it. Not like he should have. Somewhere in his mind he thought that he could prolong a conversation with Hinata, he had too much on his plate during those times. He had to get Sasuke back and he had to defeat the Akatsuki. He had to protect the village from his enemies. He didn't exactly know how to fit Hinata into that equation.

Sure he asked Sakura out during those times but he knew that she would say no. To him asking Sakura out was just for laughs after awhile. Like a running joke. He cared for Sakura like a sister and he would lay his life on the line for her. But Hinata was different. He knew she really loved him. He didn't know if he could handle that. Could he have shown her the same type of love that she felt for him during those times? He didn't know.

He debated with himself so many times to confront Hinata about her confession but he just never could get the words he wanted out. He didn't know what to say. He didn't want to reject her nor did he want to accept the confession not at the time at least.

After the Fourth War he decided that he would confront her. She jumped in to save him. She was always there. At that time he knew he needed her. He needed her to always be by his side. To love him like no person could love him. She gave everything for him and he was willing to do the same. He was willing to give his heart to her to love and cherish.

He decided that he would go to her after rebuilding. Huge mistake. Huge regret on his part. He didn't expect anyone to propose to her. He didn't expect Hinata to accept either. The day he found out she was engaged broke his heart. A piece he didn't even realize was there left.

~*~ Flashback

" _Hey, no, move it to the left a little!" Naruto shouted to one of his clones that was fixing a roof of an apartment complex._

 _It had been months since the Fourth War and here they were still rebuilding. Still putting the pieces back together emotionally and physically._

 _They had started to rebuild as soon as the funerals were over. The losses were hard. 40,000 died from the Allied forces and Konoha was not without its losses but the most notable were Shikaku Nara, Inoichi Yamanaka and Neji Hyuga._

 _Soon after the rebuilding started. He had planned on visiting Hinata to give his condolences in person to talk to her. He already visited Ino and Shikamaru. But he still hadn't gotten to Hinata._

 _Naruto sighed. He had a strange way with Hinata if he saw her he could talk to her about anything he didn't feel awkward around her but let him just think about talking to her about things like her confession or his growing feelings for her he would freeze._

 _But he had to stuck it up and see her soon. Just to talk to her. To see if... if maybe they could try things out with each other. To see where they could take things._

 _He had seen her around here and there helping out with rebuilding but he hadn't seen her in about two months. He had asked around and had gotten shrugs. He had asked Kiba and Kiba just gave him a look that he couldn't describe and told him that he would be hearing about Hinata eventually. Whatever that meant._

 _"Dammit you clones can't you get this right!" They had been on the same gotdamn roof for six hours now.'_

 _"Sorry boss!"_

 _Naruto shook his in frustration and went back to nailing a nail on the floor boards._

 _"Hey Naruto!"_

 _Naruto lifted his head up to see his pink haired teammate Sakura. Her face was red almost surpassing her bubblegum pink hair that was stick up and in disarray._

 _Naruto waved to her, "Hey Sakura what's up? You've been training or something? You look a mess."_

 _Sakura had a mind to punch him for that but she decided to just rain check it._

 _"No you Baka! Did you hear about Hinata?"_

 _Hear about Hinata? Was she hurt? He would have heard if she was hurt wouldn't he have?_

 _"What's wrong with Hinata? Is she hurt? Is she in the hospital? What happened?" The words just seemed to slip out of his mouth. His heart racing._

 _Sakura shook her head and bit her bottom lip. She didn't know how to even tell him. She had heard from Ino the big mouth about Hinata not long ago._

 _"No... She's engaged."_

 _Naruto's mind stopped. His thoughts blank. His heart no longer beating and he did the only thing that he could he laughed._

 _"That's impossible! Hinata engaged! Stop it Sakura."_

 _Sakura huffed and stuck her chest out, "I'm not joking Naruto! A bunch of Hyugas were just at the Yamanaka flower shop and they are doing a small ceremony today."_

 _Naruto blinked at her. She had to be wrong. Hinata couldn't be engaged. He... no. He was suppose to go to her and talk about them. About them being together._

 _"Are you sure?"_

 _Sakura nodded, "Yea pretty sure. Apparently the Hyugas took a big hit financially during the war and the guy is super rich. I even heard Kakashi convinced her too. Told her that the village needed to strengthen the bonds with other villages. Took them awhile to convince her."_

 _Sakura was surprised she never thought Hinata would be with anyone besides Naruto. But when she heard that everyone tried their best to convince her and that it would be the best for her clan and village she knew Hinata was thinking about others and not about herself._

 _Naruto didn't know how to process the information. What was he suppose to do with this knowledge? She was doing something for her clan and village. She was taking one for the team and yet he couldn't help but be mad._

 _She said she loved him. She risked her life for him. Couldn't she have waited a little longer?_

 _Naruto shook his head. She had waited long enough for him. Too long. She never even got an answer to her confession and he was mad at her? If anything he should be mad at himself. The door to his future happiness seemed to close right in his face._

 _He didn't bother responding to Sakura instead decided to focus on nailing the floor boards. Pounding the poor nails to death._

 _"You okay Naruto?" Sakura watched Naruto's face go from so many emotions at once to blank in seconds._

 _Naruto shrugged. No he wasn't okay. He wanted to scream. He wanted to go to Hinata and shake her. To tell her that he loved her that he needed her. That she was his soul mate she was the missing piece of the puzzle and that he was so sorry for taking so long to realize this. But it was too late._

 _~*~ Flashback_

Naruto shook his head from the memory. He would never forget that day. From that moment on he tried to avoid Hinata the best he could. If she was coming one way he would go the other. If she was at an event he would skip said event.

He regretted that. Now he regretted it even more. Naruto had thought something was extremely wrong with the marriage when their friends said Hinata stopped writing. She had written through out her first year of marriage and suddenly they stopped.

Kiba and Shino had tried to see her but they weren't allowed into mansion of the nobles that the man belonged to.

Her father sent Hyugas and they weren't allowed in either. Hell when Naruto became Hokage he sent Anbu! And they weren't allowed in the village.

He grew concerned when Hiashi came to him and told him that her husband had forbidden him from seeing Hinata.

Finally he got A to agree to a meeting to discuss the matter but that bastard didn't help much. Telling Naruto that his hands were tied that he didn't get involved in Noble matters.

Naruto tried and argued and they almost came to punches but the bastard just wouldn't relent. All he wanted was to make sure that Hinata was fine.

So that's when he hatched the plan to take her forcefully. He was willing to start a war if it meant Hinata was fine.

After seeing Hinata in the state she was in he didn't regret his decision. He knew he made the right choice. A was pissed and Naruto told him to kiss his ass. He also told the same thing to the pissed nobles.

He would be damned if he let anyone come near Hinata now. It seemed that her husband didn't want to let Hinata go. He wasn't surprised men like this wanted total control. Not just over their women but over everything. Naruto knew that this guy saw him as a threat and Naruto was happy to be the threat.

He let Hinata slip from his fingers once but he would be damned if he let that happen again. He wasn't about to let this dirt covered pig touch Hinata ever again.

Naruto often wondered what would have happened if he had gone to Hinata's wedding. What would he have done? Probably glare at the bastard the whole time and than destroyed the wedding.

But he did go. Well not to the wedding but he did go to the after party the party to bid Hinata farewell. He had hid among the trees

~*~Flashback

 _Naruto couldn't go to the wedding. He couldn't watch her in white or in a wedding kimono and be given to a man that wasn't him._

 _But he also longed to see her. To see her one last time who knew when he would see her again?_

 _Sakura had come over before the wedding started nagging him to get ready._

 _"Naruto! Naruto open the door!" Naruto groaned under his bed covers._

 _Sakura git tried of knocking and in the end just knocked the door down making her way to Naruto's bedroom._

 _"Naruto! What the hell the wedding is in an hour and you're still not ready!"_

 _The last thing Naruto wanted to do was leave his bed let alone leave his apartment for Hinata's wedding. No he decided that he was going to skip it._

 _"Come on get ready." Sakura said as she impatiently tapped her foot._

 _"Not going." Naruto mumbled_

 _"Huh? Why not. Come on Naruto! This is important. You're gonna be the future Hokage and this wedding is important for future village relations."_

 _Naruto shrugged he didn't give a damn. "Tell them I'm sick."_

 _Sakura groaned, "What has gotten into you Naruto?"_

 _Naruto sighed, he was not in the mood for Sakura's nagging right now all he wanted to do was be left alone._

 _After what seemed like forever Sakura left. Leaving a relieved Naruto. But after a few minutes Naruto wanted nothing but to see the blue haired beauty._

 _He decided to wait until she was at the village gates getting ready to leave so he still had a few more hours of self wallowing to do._

 _After what seemed like forever of thinking and contemplating Naruto got out of bed and dressed in his usual outfit. The sun was setting lighting sky with oranges, pinks and purples._

 _Naruto made his way through to the village gates on top of the trees making sure to mask himself. But when he finally could make Hinata out he wanted nothing more than to grab her and take her away._

 _There she was smiling at her teammates unshod tears sparkling in her eyes. She looked so beautiful so angelic. Her hair was up in a loose bun with navy blue pins that with her perfectly. Her outfit consisted of a simple white and lavender kimono. Her makeup was light and her cheeks flushed._

 _Naruto felt his heart beat in his stomach. He watched as she hugged and cried in her little sisters neck. He watched as she bowed to her father and her father giving her a nod of approval._

 _He wanted nothing more than to grab her and hug her and tell her that he would miss her. He would miss her small soft voice. He would miss her milky white skin. He would miss her pearl lavender colored eyes. He would miss her. All of her._

 _He watched as she got into a carriage and rode away giving her friends and family one last wave from the window. And then she was gone._

 _Gone from Konoha and gone from him._

 _~*~ Flashback_

"Well you're finally back, you better have something for me." Naruto said the now present Sasuke who was sitting on the window seal.

"Hn, yea I got something. The guy has many part time hobbies like prostitutes, drinking and gambling."

"Anything else?"

"Yea not surprised he would smack the Hyuga around. He treats his maids like shit and pays them little to nothing. His father seems to know about all of these things and does a good job of covering for him. I wouldn't be surprised if the bastard was covering for his sons abuse of the Hyuga as well."

Naruto nodded, "They have decided to come and take Hinata back in a weeks time. I told them not to bother. I'll send Shikamaru to handle this and be done with them."

"So what about the girl?"

"What about her?"

Sasuke shrugged he could see his friend had feelings for the blue haired girl but if Naruto didn't want to talk about it he wouldn't pressure him.

 _a~*~a_

Hinata sat under a large tree as she tried to catch her breathe. She hadn't trained in so long and the feeling of her muscles being used was painful. It was if they were breathing for the first time.

Kiba had trained with her for a while but had clan matters to handle. But not before asking her a few questions

" _I don't get it Hinata. Why didn't you gentle fist that asshole into next week? Or just run away? You could have come back here to us."_

How could she explain it to him? She had actually tried to escape once.

~*~ _FlashBack_

 _Hinata sniffled as she tended to her fresh new wounds. He had came home drunk on a rampage yesterday hitting everyone in sight. She was his last victim and he didn't hold back._

 _He kicked her, slapped her, pushed her, and in the end locked her in the small room that was always stiff due to the lack of air in it. The room seemed to be for storage. It didn't have a window and was bare._

 _She didn't know how long she had been in there until finally a maid had been instructed to let her out._

 _She went to the bathroom to shower. Letting the hot water hit her back. Her wounds still fresh and burning as she whimpered in pain._

 _This was her third year into this marriage and she missed her family and friends terribly._

 _The second year of marriage he startred to become jealous of her letters from Shino and Kiba. Telling her to cut them off. When she refused he cut off all communication. Not even allowing her messages to or from her family._

 _She knew that Kiba and Shino had tried to visit this year but they were forbidden from coming in. She had tried to scream out for them but her father in law had covered her mouth preventing her from screaming._

 _She hated her father in law as much as she hated her husband. He never hit her like he did but he aided in the abuse. He made sure none of the maids interfered in the abuse and made sure that the matter stayed in the house._

 _When she came to him to for help. He gave her advice of not trying to make her husband mad and that women should just be seen and not heard._

 _Hinata sucked in a sob as the tiny bit of sunlight shone through the small window beamed on to her face._

 _Hinata stared at the window. She had contemplated running away many times. But she was always scared and kept rationalizing it telling herself that maybe he would change, but she realized that he never would._

 _She shut the water off and quickly got dressed into a simple lavender t shirt and gray sweat pants. The window was small and she had trouble squeezing through but with some pushes and a lot of sucking in she finally managed to tumble out of the window._

 _Quickly she ran not looking back at the mansion that was her prison. Her hair and clothes were muddy from tumbling out the window and she had scratched herself on a few branches. Finally she saw a Kumo nin she ran to him._

 _"Hey miss what's the matter?" He assessed the girls hair and clothes that were muddy and had a few rips on them. She also looked distraught but her eyes were the most telling. A Hyuga and the only Hyuga he knew that was in Kumo was married to a Noble._

 _"Are you lost? I know your husband he's probably really worried about you come on."_

 _Hinata struggled against the man trying and pleading with him to let her go finally when she realized he wasn't listening and that they were quickly approaching the mansion she did the only thing that came to mind._

 _She activated her byakugan and cut off the chakra in the arm that was dragging her. She started to run again hearing the curses and shouts of pain from the Kumo nin. She didn't get far before she ran into something hard._

 _Mumbling out an apology she looked up and any color that was in her face before was quickly gone._

 _There stood her father in law with a stern and angry look._

 _He grabbed her by the arm forcefully making her yelp at the sudden pain of his nails digging into her arm. He quickly dragged her into the house ignoring the angry Kumo nin and pushed her into the house. She heard her father in law reassure the nin that she would be punished greatly and that he apologized for the inconvenience and told him that he appreciated the ninja bringing her back and that he would pay him a large sum to not tell anyone about this incident._

 _~*~ Flashbacm_

Hinata shuddered at the memory. As soon as her husband came home her father in law told him of his wife's like escape. She had never seen him so angry. His face turned red as fire and she was sure steam was coming out of his ears.

He had beaten her so bad that day that he had broken her jaw and arm. After three days of Hinata crying from the pain he finally called his personal doctor to treat her.

The doctor wasn't as good as Lady Tsunade and only partially healed her jaw. He told her that she shouldn't try to speak and that she shouldn't eat anything solid for the next month or two.

After that he brought someone else to see her but this person was for a different reason. Her husband seemed to think that sooner or later she was bound to break if she was trying to runaway now than it would only be a matter of time before she attacked him and succeeded in her escape.

This man was talented in jutsus more specifically sealing jutsus. Her husband instructed him to seal her eyes but apparently the man wasn't that talented. So in the end he used a seal that limited her chakra if she decided to use her byakugan the jutsu would suck her chakra dry in a matter of seconds.

She remembered this started towards the end of the third year of marriage because she remembered her husband became extremely irritable. Apparently her friends and family were becoming suspicious. Her father had sent Hyugas to asses how she was and check up on her but she heard husband telling them that they weren't allowed inside. A few months later her husband had a fit of rage because the Hokage had sent Anbu for her.

Hinata wondered that if Kakashi was the Hokage at the time or if Naruto was? It didn't matter really. But she assumed it had to be Naruto since her father told her that Kakashi had tried to get a meeting set up with her husband but that he refused. He even threatened to tear up the marriage pact but that would have been difficult but he never told her that he had sent Anbu for her.

She sighed, Naruto. She had thought about him a great deal when she was married. Thinking up crazy scenarios about how he would rescue her and how he would profuse his undying love for her.

She rolled her eyes now at how stupid she was. She should have killed her husband the second year of marriage like Kiba said but she was too stupid. She had heard stories of abused people making all types of excuses for their abusers and she was no different.

She had thought that once she was away that she could put all of this behind her and make a new life for herself but it was easier said than done. She couldn't help but replay things over and over in her head.

"So getting in a little training? I hope you didn't push yourself too hard."

Hinata opened her eyes to see Naruto in his Hokage robe. The sun seemed to hit his form just right making it look like he was glowing. His sun kissed tan and bright blonde hair. She wondered if Naruto was a sun god in disguise. She had to admit he was handsome she tried to push down any other feelings that threatened to arise.

Hinata shrugged at him. Her muscles hadn't really allowed her to push herself far enough before giving out. She could feel her calf muscles screaming but she didn't really feel the need to elaborate.

"Are you stalking me?" She asked. It was weird to be asking him that especially since she had stalked him when they were younger.

He laughed, "No I was just in the neighborhood."

"For a Hokage you sure do have a lot of free time."

Naruto chuckled and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "Actually I kind of have a lot of paper work to do but I'm playing hooky. Don't tell anyone."

She shrugged who was she going to tell? She wanted to point of that it was reckless for him to not do his paperwork what if something important needed handling but again she didn't feel the need to voice her thoughts.

Naruto on the other hand was delighted that she was talking a little more than usual sure her remarks were more suited for someone like Teme but he could work with it.

He slowly made his way to Hinata and sat next to her, his legs stretched out in front of him as he leaned back letting his hands support his weight. He tilted his had back as a small breeze ruffled his hair a bit.

" ** _Totally a sun god in disguise_**." Hinata thought to herself in conformation. There was just no way someone could be so handsome.

She shook her head from the thought, she still remembered the encounter they had a few days ago.

Naruto finally opened her eyes to see Hinata staring at him. He gave her a bright smile. Making her blush slightly not because of the smile but more because she had been so consumed by his beauty that she didn't even realize she was staring.

"I'm throwing a ball in two months. It's an annual thing. I invite all the Kages and all of Konoha's clan leaders."

Hinata nodded. She hated balls but she wasn't going to tell him that it didn't matter what her feelings or thoughts were.

"So... I was wondering if you would come."

This made Hinata look at the Hokage and tilt her head in confusion. Why would she come? She wasn't clan head or even future clan head.

"Why? I'm not a clan head Hokage-sama."

Naruto sighed again with the Hokage-sama crap, "Come as my plus one Hinata. It would be fun and stop with that Hokage-sama crap were friends."

"As your plus one?" Hinata felt stupid repeating his words back to him but her mind couldn't comprehend what was going on.

"Yea! You know as a friend it would do you some good. You know to socialize." Naruto smiled his beaming smile at her.

Hinata stared at him as if he had grown a third head. Friends. As friends. Did she expect more? No. Did she even want more... No. No she didn't.

Hinata got up and dusted herself off ignoring the aches in her muscles.

"Huh? Hinata?" Naruto watched as the heiress started to walk away

"Hey wait where are you going?" Naruto grabbed her by her arm. If looks could kill the glare that Hinata shot him the moment his hand grabbed her could make the sun wither away.

Hinata glared at his arm and than at him. Pulling her arm away from him she turned herself around and stared dead into his eyes.

"We aren't friends Hokage-same." And with that she tried to leave again. Tried was the key word.

Naruto blinked a few times before he finally comprehended what she had said to him. Finally he caught up with her and blocked her path.

"How can you say that Hinata of course we're friends!"

Hinata shook her head she didn't have time for this. The feelings of anger were bubbling up again. She didn't entirely know why she seemed to snap at Naruto and a part of her felt bad for always saying things that she knew that would hurt him and yet she had bottled her feelings up for so long they seemed to just pour out when she was with him.

"Move Hokage-sama."

"Stop calling me that."

The two stared at each other for a while. Azure blue staring at pearl lavender.

"Move." She repeated

"No not until you tell me why you said we aren't friends." Naruto felt his heart beating 500 miles per hour. How could she say something like to him. He cared for deeply how could she say they weren't friends.

"I don't have time for this Hokage-sama and neither do you. Go back to your paper work."

"Dammit Hinata stop calling me that and tell why you would say something like that! You know damn well we're close friends!"

That was it that's all she needed to snap, "No we aren't. You just think we're friends Naruto we aren't and never were friends. We are acquaintances not friends. You're friends with Sakura and Sasuke. The rest of us are acquaintances to you. You may think we are but we aren't. What's my favorite food Naruto? What's my favorite color? What do you even know about me? Nothing. Nothing at all! Now what's Sasuke's favorite food? Or even Sakura's? What's their dreams and hopes? Their fears and regrets? Now what's mine Naruto?"

Naruto stared at her. But his mind was answering all of the questions Sasuke's food is tomatoes and Sakura's is syrup-coated anko dumplings. Sasuke's regret was killing his brother and Sakura's was not trying to bring Sasuke back soon enough. But when those things came to Hinata his mind went blank.

Hinata shook her head and she gave him a sad knowing smile, "Not friends Naruto but acquaintances." She pushed him out of the way and this time he didn't stop her.

Was she right? Were they even really friends. He barely knew anything about her.

So Naruto assigned himself a mission to help Hinata out of the state of mind that she was in he was going to become her friend. He was going to know everything about her from the simple things to her regrets and dreams.

 **Short chapter I know sorry. But more NaruHina moments to come. Don't worry I'm not gonna drag this divorce stuff any longer should end in the next chapter. After that we begin the process of Hinata healing her mind and healing her obviously broken relationship with Naruto.**

 **Don't forget to review!**


	4. Authors Note very important

I hate writing author notes without writing a chapter but I think I need to clear things up for people.

1\. _**Why didn't Hinata just run away**_?

 _You would think it's that easy right? If you are being mistreated and abused then just run away so I'll help you understand why that's not as easy it is._

 _Reason a) The main reason why I didn't make Hinata runaway and be successful in her escape is because again this is based upon my life this is me letting fiction play reality. I myself ran away from my abuser more than once ,several times actually and each time I was sent back by either family members or the authorities (yea the same ones who claim to protect and serve) this is why I created the father in law I needed someone to enable the abuse just like how I felt those people enabled my own abuser_

 _Reason b) Hinata is in Kumo so I would assume Kumo and Konoha are far away from each other so even if she got out of the house she would have to get out of Kumo and even if she got out of Kumo she would have to spend days if not weeks getting from Kumo to Konoha without her husband getting her. It just seemed impossible._

 _Reason c) How many stories have you read of women being abused and they stay? A lot and those women are either so badly scarred (physically) until they leave or they are killed. People just think they know what they would do in a situation of abuse but until you really are in that situation it's not that easy._

 ** _2\. Why doesn't Hinata just kill her husband?_**

 _Reason a) Do you guys read the news? How many women kill their husbands in self defense and end up in jail? A lot. I mean currently there is a case in Alabama in which a woman was sentenced to life in prison for killing her husband after being abused by him which is crazy because Alabama has the Stand Your Ground law. You would think they would use it in this instance. What I'm trying to say is even if Hinata did kill him it would only cause trouble with Kumo wanting blood and the Hyugas trying to protect Hinata. Remember the situation with Neji's dad? Even if Kumo was in the wrong they still wanted blood so I would assume if Hinata killed one of their Nobles that they would want Hinata's head. Which would cause problems between Kumo and Konoha_

 _ **3\. Why did you pick Kumo?**_

 _Reason a) Good question, I actually had a hard time picking which place I wanted Hinata to go. Suna was out of the question because I just don't think Gaara would allow that. In the end I picked Kumo. Their problems with the Hyugas made the most sense. Since this is a time of peace than it would only make sense to want to build better relations with other villages and bury old problems._

 _I get a lot of people aren't going to get this story. But it's why I created it. A lot of people don't understand an abusive relationship and how women stay in one. It's why I wanted to create a story to shade light on abuse._

 ** _4\. Why is Hinata treating Naruto like this?_**

 _Reason a) I don't want Hinata to jump into Naruto's arms right after getting out of a relationship and an abusive one at that._

 _Reason b) Abuse leaves people not trusting people that they use to trust and feeling abandoned. I want Hinata to express these emotions. To be afraid to trust again and love again._

 _Reason c) Hinata is going to fall into a deep depression. Exactly the way I did after I got out of my abusive relationship. She's going to have her downs and lots of them._

 _I just want to reassure everyone though that things do get better for Hinata. She gets through this and she will be happy in the end. And there will be lots of NaruHina moments cute ones, dramatic ones and romantic ones._

 **In the end I just really hope that people leave this story having a better sense of what people who have been abused go through. I was actually in an abusive relationship and was abused as a child and teenager as well. I want people to think differently of these people and know that they shouldn't be harsh and judgmental and ask "Well why don't you runaway?" I don't mind questions and accept them. Just be gentle because again this story is based on me and I'm sensitive about this topic. Actually when I got the question of why didn't Hinata run away I cried because a lot of people asked me that and it's hard to explain to people that I did and I was sent back to the same people who abused me.**

 **Any way, From now on if you have any questions I will be answering them in the beginning of each chapter.**

 **I also want to thank all of those who have reviewed, faved, and followed this story. It means a lot to me and I really appreciate it from the bottom of my heart.**


	5. Let Me Be There For You

**I had this chapter ready and was going to post it next week because I'm gonna be busy next week and it was suppose to keep you guys busy but after reading LordOfTerror's review I know that feeling of thinking "Yay new chapter!" And then getting tricked by a Author's Note or even worse a sucky chapter. I want to thank LordOfTerror, slythefoxx2, HumaBeen (You are the MVP), Talk-art-girls (You must be waiting for me to update Ningyo it's coming don't worry) and TheCrazyCommie for your reviews. Batros940 I hope the Author's Note answered your questions.**

 **Big NaruHina moment at the end of this chapter. This chapter is light and has no heavy stuff. Next chapter will have more heavy and dramatic scenes.**

 _Though you may walk alone, you're worth more than you know._

 _-I Prevail, Crossroads_

a~*~a

Truth is one of the strangest things in the world. Shall the truth really set you free? Or is living in ignorance better? What you know can't hurt you right? But can it hurt others? Truth is such a feeble thing really. What is truth? Truth can be twisted in so many ways. What you may perceive to be the truth may be a lie to the next person.

Naruto truly thought Hinata was his friend. That was the truth but she thought otherwise didnthat mean it was never true? He didn't know anymore.

But he would be damned if he didn't make it true to her. He would show her the truth of the matter they were friends and they were meant to be more. Hinata's words cut him deeply. But did he cut her as deep when he couldn't answer her simple questions?

The next day Naruto set out to find out simple things about Hinata. Her favorite food according to Kiba? Was cinnamon rolls. Her favorite color are different shades of purple. For that he wanted to punch himself she wore the color in everyone of her outfits!

Naruto wanted to know more so he decided that he would ask Shikamaru. He wanted to ask Shino and Kiba since they use to be her teammates but he also knew that would cause the two men to question him.

~*~Flashback

 _It had currently been a month since the confrontation between him and Hinata. He only knew her favorite food and color. Nothing else._

 _He huffed as he looked at some request from Gaara asking for a few medical herbs that were not available in Suna. He put the request to the side making a note to get the medical herbs that Gaara requested and made sure to get a genin team to take the mission in sending the herbs to Suna._

 _Shikamaru was to arrive from Kumo today. Naruto had sent Shikamaru to talk Hinata's husband into signing the divorce papers and Naruto was becoming impatient as he started to tap his finger nails on his table._

 _Finally a knock came at the door._

 _"Enter." Naruto bellowed out_

 _Shikamaru lazily opened the door and stepped into the room. Naruto looked at him and rolled his eyes impatiently._

 _"Well? What happened?"_

 _"Troublesome, the guy was a real drag. Acting like some spoiled child."_

 _"So did he sign the papers?"_

 _"Only after I told him that a well known gang in Kumo wanted his head for a debt he had yet to pay."_

 _Naruto smirked. He had made Shikamaru his right hand man and he knew that he had made the right choice._

 _Shikamaru handed Naruto the now signed divorce papers and Naruto readily took them scanning the papers and delighted to see once empty line now signed. Now he could give Hinata the excellent news._

 _Speaking of Hinata, "Hey Shikamaru, how much do you know about Hinata?"_

 _Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at the blonde Hokage as lit the cigarette in his mouth causing Naruto scrunch his nose._

 _"Didn't Temari make you quit?"_

 _"She won't know unless you open your big mouth and tell her."_

 _Naruto rolled his eyes at the lazy ninja, "Whatever, just tell me what you know about Hinata."_

 _"What do you want to know?" Shikamaru drawled_

 _"You know the basics simple things."_

 _"She knows how to cook. I mean the stuff Hinata cooked was edible unlike Temari." Shikamaru shuddered he had once eaten Temari's cooking just to please her. What a mistake. He had spent the next two weeks in the hospital with a horrible bout of food poisoning._

 _"What else?"_

 _"She likes to garden. I always told her it was too troublesome."_

 _Naruto listened to Shikamaru tell him about how Hinata always brought flowers from the Hyuga gardens to Kurenai. How she took care of her after Asuma's death. How she cooked and cleaned for her during those few months. How kind she was. How caring she was._

 _Naruto stared in awe at hearing all the things that he never knew. Sure he knew Hinata was nice and kind but the way Shikamaru described it was different some how. Naruto couldn't help but wonder how their future could have been_

 _Would she have taken care of him when he got a cold? Would she advise him on Hokage matters that made his head hurt? Would she bring him food when he didn't come home on time? Would the front of their house have been filled with beautiful flowers?_

 _Naruto dismissed Shikamaru. He wanted to be alone. In that moment he wanted nothing more then to bring Hinata to him and tell her how he wanted all of that._

 _He wanted her to take care of him. He wanted her to whisper encouraging words in his ear. He wanted to hear her airy giggles. He wanted her eyebrows to furrow in worry when he was sick. He wished he would have fought for her on that fateful day. To never let her slip from his fingers. He wanted to smell her lavender and vanilla scent. To hold her. To love her._

~*~Flackback

Naruto sighed, he was sick of all this damn paper work! It never ended he would die from the amount of paper cuts he got. He wanted nothing more then to go find Hinata and talk to her. To know more about her but he couldn't shirk off his Hokage duties today he was backed up on paperwork as it was.

He decided that after he finished the more important paper work that he would go and relax on the Hokage mountains. He needed to get away from all this and just breathe for a moment

a~*~a

Hinata stared at the floor finding it much more appealing than the unblinking stare of her father.

She had decided that being in the Hyuga compound was too suffocating. She needed to move out. So she had decided that she would find a small apartment and move out.

Of course when she told her father of her plans he was less then pleased.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea Hinata, I would like you to stay in the compound." His monotone voice filling the small room that they were in.

"Father, please consider this. I...I feel suffocated here." She did. She felt like the walls were closing in on her. She felt so lost in these plain white walls. She hoped that if she left the Hyuga compound her mood would change. This weight that was strangling her would be lifted.

Hiashi sighed, "I shall think about it. Why don't you go to the market? You've been in the compound for too long perhaps a few hours out will do you some good." Hinata nodded holding back a sigh.

She got up and left the small office of her father. Making her way to the gates and giving the two guards a nod instead of a proper greeting.

Her father wanted to her stay under his watchful eye. She knew he blamed himself but she felt like she was being punished. She felt so constricted not that she was helping the matter she barely left the compound but that was mostly to avoid Naruto.

She feared if she left the compound that she would run in to him and that's the last thing she wanted. She wanted nothing more then for him to stay far away from her. He brought back old memories.

Memories that cut deep. Confessions that went unanswered. Feelings that threatened to bubble over. She wanted to scream at him one minute and be in his arms the next minute. She wanted to cry in his chest and scream at him. She wanted him to feel this suffocating pain in her chest. She wanted him to make it go away.

She walked around the streets aimlessly. Until she heard someone call her name. She looked back to see Ino waving at her frantically.

"Hinata!"

Hinata looked at the blonde beauty approaching her. Her long blonde hair flying behind her and the most notable thing about her? Her small belly that was shaped like a ball.

"Hello Ino."

"That's all you're going to say is hello! I heard you were back in the village months ago but I haven't seen you around."

Hinata shrugged, "Busy." Was her short reply. She felt jealousy stir in her as she looked at Ino's small stomach protruding out.

Ino smiled oblivious to Hinata's jealousy but aware of why she was staring at her stomach. She smiled softly as she cradled her small stomach in her hands.

"I'm only four months but my stomachs already sticking out."

Hinata nodded, "Congratulations."

"Where are you going?" Ino asked, her brilliant smile lighting up her face

Hinata shrugged. She didn't know. She thought she would just wander around for an hour until she went home.

"Well how about we get some tea and catch up?"

Hinata nodded in agreement perhaps talking to someone about mundane things would help her forget this pain in her chest.

They walked to a near by tea shop and sat down at the small table as they order some tea.

Ino of course couldn't wait to start gossiping. She told Hinata that she was now married to Sai. That Shikamaru was married to Temari. That Sakura was now 8 months pregnant and if course married to Sasuke. She had Hinata caught up on all of their friends.

After that they drank their tea silently until Hinata asked, "What about Naruto." She wanted to smack herself. Why would she ask that?

Ino smirked and wiggled her eyebrows, "Hinata you still have a crush on Naruto?"

Hinata shook her head trying to keep her blush at bay, "No it's just that you mentioned everyone but him I just found it strange." Thanking Kami that she had not stuttered. She knew if that Ino caught a whiff of her old crush for Naruto that she would tell everyone and their dead grandmother the juicy gossip.

"Oh." Ino answered dejectedly, "Well he's okay I guess we don't really see him much since he became Hokage. He hasn't had any real relationships just flings."

This made Hinata raise a perfectly trimmed eyebrow, "Really?"

"Yea you can't blame him can you? I mean being Hokage you can't really have time for love."

Hinata nodded wanting to desperately change the subject Hinata asked, "Ino are you going to the flower shop?"

Ino shook her head "No but if you want we can go together I have the day off but I don't mind."

Hinata nodded, "I'd like to get white lilies for Neji's grave."

Ino nodded sadly, "Right, TenTen came a week ago and got some flowers for his grave too."

Hinata felt tears in her eyes. She missed her cousin terribly and she felt horrible for neglecting his grave since she had been back.

"Does anyone else visit his grave?" Hinata asked in a soft low voice

"Gai, Lee, Hanabi sometimes comes in and get some flowers for his grave but very rarely." There was one other person but Ino would let Hinata find out who that was on her own

Hinata nodded knowing that Hanabi wasn't a very emotional person but even she missed Neji greatly and it was always hard for her to visit his grave.

After the two women finished their tea they made their way to the flower shop and got some pure white lilies. Ino decided to let Hinata go to the grave on her own. Knowing that it would be emotional moment for the Heiress. The parted ways and waved goodbye to each other.

Hinata made her way to the grave. Letting the slight cold breeze wash over her. She was dressed in a simple navy blue kimono. Letting the breeze brush the silky feeling of the kimono rub against her skin.

Finally she made her way to the cemetery. She looked at each and every head stone. All the lives lost. Cut too short. Lives that never got to live out that never got to get married and have children that never had the chance to correct mistakes.

She made her way to Neji's grave. Her eyes grew soft as she looked at his head stone. She sat down on the grass bringing her knees close to her chest as she stared at her cousins grave not knowing what to say.

Before she was married she use to sit and talk about the most mundane things to Neji's grave but now she was silent. All she wished was that he was here. He would know what to do. What say to make her happy again. To be her rock. She missed him so much. Why did the good die while the bad stayed to corrupt the world even more?

a~*~a

Naruto stretched his muscles as he walked to the cemetery. It was his usual routine at the end of the week he would go to the cemetery and pay his respect to all the fallen ninjas who had given their lives for this village. He had wanted to relax on top of the Hokage mountain but decided that he needed to finish this task first as it was the most important to him

He also brought flowers for his friends and family. Leaving flowers for his parents all the way to Shikamaru and Ino's father. People who he felt were close to his heart and his friends hearts.

His first was of course to his parents grave. Smiling softly as his mothers grave as he placed a bouquet of red poppies in front of her head stone. The color reminded him if his mothers bright red fiery hair. Finally all that was left in his basket after visiting all of his friends and family were pure white lilies which of course were for Neji.

When Hinata left Naruto took it upon himself to lay pure white lilies on his grave for her. He had seen her always leave the flowers at his grave and talk to him with a soft voice and smile on her cute lips. As he approached Neji's grave he saw the blue haired beauty shivering from the cold and sadly staring at Neji's grave.

Naruto slowly took his Hokage robe and put it around her small frame. He watched as her body tensed and then relaxed.

"You're stalking me." It was more of a statement than a question and it made Naruto chuckle softly. As he sat down next to her.

"Unfortunately no. I always come here at the end of the week to pay my respects to the fallen."

Hinata nodded. It made sense he was Hokage he would of course feel nothing but the utmost respect for those who had given their lives for this village.

"How long have you been here?" Naruto asked curiously

Hinata shrugged she didn't really know, "I'm not sure it was three when I left the compound."

That made Naruto frown. Did she realize that it was now ten and that it was night?

"So you've been here for seven hours?"

She shrugged again, "I suppose."

Naruto wanted to chaste her but decided against her. She needed a friend not a superior.

They sat under the starry night sky letting the moons rays illuminate them and the area they were sitting. They sat in comfortable silence only the sounds of the night bugs filling the air.

She finally turned her head to look at him for this first time since he arrived and caught sight of the bouquet of pure white lilies in his hands.

"A-are those for Neji?" White lilies that was a coincidence. It had to be. Didn't it?

Naruto smiled softly as he layed the flowers in front of Neji's head stone. "They are. I hope you don't mind I took it upon myself to put white lilies on his grave in your absence."

Hinata felt her heart clench and stared at the man. "I miss him." She confessed.

Naruto nodded, "I remember when Pervy Sage died it was like losing part of my soul." He knew the pain of losing a loved one all too well and what he just described was exactly how Hinata felt as if part of her soul was missing, gone.

Naruto looked at Hinata as he heard a small sound come from her lips. "Hinata?" He questioned softly. Before he could comprehend what was happening the small woman jumped into his arms and cried into his chest.

She didn't exactly know what came over her perhaps it was just seeing him when she was in a moment of weakness or perhaps it was knowing that he took the responsibility of putting those flowers at Neji's grave. It touched her to know that Neji was well taken care of in her absence.

"I-I miss him so much." She cried into his shirt.

Naruto hugged her tight and rubbed her back comfortingly. He let her soak his shirt in her tears. He knew that even though she still had a lot of unresolved issues that this would help even if only a little to let her cry it out and just be there to comfort her.

That simply made Hinata cry more, "It's my fault he's gone and I'll never forgive myself for that."

Naruto stilled his comforting movements on her back and put both hands on her face and lifted her face up to look into his eyes.

"Don't you ever say that. I'm sure Neji is proud of dying to save you. He would have wanted to die that way."

Hinata shook her head tears still falling, "You don't understand. I need him here. I need him to be here for me."

Naruto's heart clenched from hearing the despair in her voice and even though he knew he shouldn't have done what he did next he did it anyway.

"I'm here for you." He said softly and with that he placed his lips upon her own. Kissing her softly it seemed like she would never kiss him back but before he could take his lips off hers, her soft pouty lips moved against his.

Naruto pulled her closer to him and he moved his lips against hers the kiss going from a simple one to one of need. Naruto needing to prove to Hinata that he would be there for her and Hinata needing Naruto to understand how much in despair she was in.

Finally Hinata came back to her senses and pushed Naruto away with full force. They looked at each other in shock.

"Hinata I'm sorry I-"

"I-I have go." And with speed she did not know she possessed she threw his Hokage robe on the ground and ran. Ran far away from him. Far away from the old feelings that were beginning to bubble over.

"Hinata! Hinata wait." Naruto called out but it was too late she was long gone.

He picked up his Hokage robe and looked at Neji's grave. "Don't worry Neji I'll protect her in your absence from now on. She'll be my responsibility and I promise I won't fail you. I'll make her the old Hinata again I promise."

 **Like I said nothing really heavy here. Don't forget to review**


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